[pmh]

WE are getting 2 shih tzu babies in June. I would like to try to groom them myself. We don't have many groomers in our area, esp ones, that can groom small dogs. I am not doing the long coat thing. Probably just the teddy bear cut. Altho I do like the top knots. I plan on starting to brush these babies right away, to get them used to being groomed and brushed.

I have been looking at clippers. I was looking at the Oster Turbo A5. Should I get a cordless or cord clippers. Wouldn't a single speed be fine for home grooming? I don't want overkill, but if I am going to spend the money, I want something that will work correctly and last for awhile.

I would like to hear from a Shih Tzu groomer on what tools to buy, before I invest or buy the wrong ones.

[Graco22]

Hello. Personally I am not a fan of Oster clippers. Big, heavy and just cumbersome. I prefer the Andis clippers, specifically the Andis AG 2 Speeds. You will need more than a cordless clipper to get thru body coat, unless you go with the Andis Powergroom. Those other cordless clippers are only meant for pads, hygiene, inside ears, corners of eyes, etc. They just don't have the power to motor thru body coats, especially if you want a longer teddy bear cut. You will need attachments for that. You will need lots of equipment, and it will be expensive. Here is a list of the bare minimum in order to groom a shih correctly and thoroughly.

Slicker, comb, 7-8 inch straight shears, 7-8 inch curved shears, thinners (40 or more teeth), clippers, #10 blade, #30 blade, Wahl Stainless Steel attachment set (unless you want a short teddy cut, then a #3 or 4F would do. Shampoo, dryer, ideally a High Velocity dryer, as if the dog is fluff dried with a HV dryer, you will get a nicer, more even cut that will last longer. Hemostats for hair in the ear canal, nail trimmers and quik stop, ear cleaner and a grooming spray like Crown Royal, small grooming table and arm with loop. Thats all I can think of right now. Its unfortunate that you don't feel you have any trustworthy groomers in your area. There are MANY good groomers out there in the world, but finding them appears to be a problem unfortunately. Do keep in mind that if you groom your pups yourself at first, and then decide its too much to deal with, they will most likely be a handful for a groomer at that point. You must also be teaching them proper table manners and to stand. They have to be taught to allow you to hold their face still (puppies HATE that..lol) If they learn to get away with things, then they will try even harder at a groomers, and sharp tools and wiggly-wild doggies are not a good match. Start them early.

[pmh]

Thank you for the good advice. I have also heard that the Andis and Wahl were good too. Hopefully I will find a good groomer close by. I was thinking of going to a 3 day class for home dog grooming. It is not professional, just for doing your own breed at home. Will see.....

[Kyllobernese]

I groom my own Shih Tzus. What I use is a baby changing table (bought it at a garage sale). It is just the right heigth and has drawers for your grooming tools and a shelf underneath to hold things also. I start them when they are young, just rubbing the clippers around their heads and ears, first with it off, then when it is running, so they get used to the noise and vibration. I just use my own hair dryer on them. As I start them when they are young, doing toenails, ears, trimming their feet and pads, I have never used a noose on them. I have a couple with full coats and they lie down, first on one side, then the other to be groomed, then stand up for the final touch up. I use the Oster A-5 clippers but it just depends what you are used to. Some I will do right down with a 10 blade, others I use the skip-tooth on if I want it a bit longer.

[Love's_Sophie]

I have Andis clippers; two that are two speeds, and the AGR cordless...I have been impressed with Andis since I first started grooming dogs full time; 8 years ago!

The cordless clipper I have is fantastic; I can do alot of normal clipping with it, although I mainly clip pads, and faces with it (because it is a little quieter than my other two). It has plenty of power to get through a Shih Tzu coat...although, you can get a two speed corded for less $$...my cordless set costed over 200, plus I bought the corded adapter, and an extra battery for it, so that was a bit more.

I would say for a nice 'teddy bear' clip, you will want to get a 5 blade, or one that is a bit longer; #4, #3 3\4, #3, #5\8, etc... It all depends on your preference.

Invest in a decent pair of shears as well, and if you like, a good pair of thinning shears, for blending and thinning purposes. I like Gator for price and longevity...However, I do have shears that costed much more than those brand! For your usage though, a 'lower' price shear\thinning shear would be fine, because you aren't going to use them everyday, like a groomer does!

As far as dryers, for your usage, there are some 'home' dryers that aren't nearly as expensive. But you could also dry them good with a towel, then pin a dry towel around them and let them dry; Wish I had a picture to show you, but I don't...lol. It's a really 'old' way of flat drying a dog to prevent matting and curly coat...once you get them in their short clip though, and if you keep them clipped, you can simply let them air dry after toweling them; then brush up the coat and reclip.

For shampoos, I love Therapet shampoo. But Biogroom, and Groomer's Edge have some really good ones too. Shampoo is one of the things that I am pretty picky about. I want shampoos that don't dry the coat, OR my hands!! I prefer tearless and 'natural' types as well, which is why I love Therapet's line.

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